Centrifugal dyeing apparatus for treating wound fabrics

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to treat wound sheet forms, especially textile sheets, with fluids is provided. The treatment includes the bleaching, the dyeing, and the washing of knitted and woven textile and fleece. Such sheet forms may include any of cellulosic, animal, and synthetic fabric and their compositions. The sheet forms wound onto a perforated dyeing beam are treated with the fluids by means of centrifugal force in such a way that a regular treatment with the least use of water, chemicals, and energy is possible. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus includes a closable container, a pump to circulate a treating fluid, a driven dyeing beam, which is rotatably supported in the container, arranged to hold a lap made of a textile sheet form and having a tube with a perforation, wherein support sustainers are provided, wherein the support sustainers radially support the lap, and wherein the support sustainers (6) are attached to the dyeing beam.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a centrifugal dyeing apparatus fortreating wound sheet forms, especially textile sheets, with fluids. Thetreatments comprise the bleaching, dyeing, and washing of knitted andwoven textile as well as fleece. These sheet forms can comprise any ofcellulosic, animal, and synthetic fabric and their combinations. Woundonto a dyeing beam, the sheet forms are treated with fluids by means ofthe centrifugal force in such a way that a regular treatment with theleast consumption of water, chemicals, and energy is possible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART

Textile sheet forms are treated on machines and apparatuses with manydifferent processes to provide them with different qualities such ascolor, shine, softness, etc. All widespread processes and theirappendant machines and apparatuses have in common that they cause aconsumption of water, chemicals, and energy. As a replacement of waterand, therefore, for a waterless operation, supercritical carbon dioxide(CO₂) has not widely established itself, probably because of thetremendous technical effort. Nevertheless, it may be interesting toapply the present invention in the future also for processes with CO₂.

The wastewater resulting from the treatment process has to be cleared inwastewater treatment plants because otherwise bodies of water arepolluted. Consumption of water, chemicals, and energy is very differentwith respect to the processes and the applied machines and apparatuses.Therefore, the costs are also very different with respect to thecomposition of the water, chemical, personal, and energy costs. Besidesthe costs, the quality of the treatment result is a criterion for theselection of the process as well as the machines and the apparatuses.

Dependent on the selected process, the machine, and the apparatus aswell as the qualities of the textile sheet form to be treated, such aselasticity, ability to shrink under the influence of temperature, etc.,it is to some extent difficult to treat the textile sheet in such a waythat the qualitative result of the treatment is proper with respect tocolor, surface hairiness, dimensional accuracy, etc.

It is known that textile fabrics are treated with discontinuousprocesses on jet dyeing machines, dyeing beam apparatuses, and jiggers.Also known are continuous processes and their apparatuses, such ascontinuous bleaching or dyeing apparatuses. Further, the processes areapplied in various combinations to achieve qualitatively proper resultswith preferably low costs.

In these discontinuous processes and these associated machines andapparatuses, the liquor ratio, having the unit dimension liter perkilogram goods to be treated, is an important parameter, whichsignificantly affects consumption of water, chemicals, and energy. Thebath ratio is defined as the minimum amount, in liters, of water neededdivided by the mass of textile goods to be treated in the machine or theapparatus. The whole process is a combination of several individualprocess steps. Because the total consumption is the sum of theconsumptions of the individual process steps, it is important, in viewof economical and ecological reasons, that the bath ratio of adiscontinuous dyeing machine or apparatus is as low as possible.

Known discontinuously working machines, such as jet dyeing machines ordyeing beam machines, normally work with bath ratios which are greaterthan 3 liter per kilogram goods, typically between 4 and 20 liter perkilogram goods, when cellulose sheet forms are treated; and greater than2 liter per kilogram, typically between 3 and 20 liter per kilogram, forsynthetic fibers.

With jiggers, a treatment with lower bath ratios is possible with a fullload and with optimized processes. But the jigger is only eligible fortensile insensitive sheet forms because tensile sensitive sheet formswould be elongated under the influence of the garment's tension which isnecessary for jiggering. However, this elongation is generallyundesirable because it can only partially be removed. Also, the processtime is longer than on jet dyeing apparatuses, especially with largefabric lengths.

Due to a good compromise of flexibility, consumption, quality, andprocess time, today, the jet dyeing machine is probably the most useddiscontinuous dyeing machine for knitted textiles. For woven textiles,both the jet dyeing machine and the jigger are commonly used. Inconsequence of the poor bath ratio and the therewith increased processcosts, beam dyeing apparatuses are mostly used only in case thatqualitative problems with the sheet forms to be treated arise on jetdyeing machines or jiggers.

A simplified, yet very typical process, in which knitted textile made ofcotton is bleached and dyed on a jet dyeing machine, follows.

-   1.) Filling: 5 liter water per kilogram goods-   2.) Bleaching: (loading chemicals, heating, and cooling again)-   3.) Discharging, rinsing: 2.5 liter per kilogram goods-   4.) Discharging, rinsing: 2.5 liter per kilogram goods-   5.) Discharging, filling: 2.5 liter per kilogram goods-   6.) Dyeing: (adding salt, dye, and chemicals and heating)-   7.) Discharging five times: 12.5 liter per kilogram goods-   8.) Discharging.

A total of 25 liter of water per goods is used in this exemplaryprocess. 17.5 liter water per kilogram goods and therefore 70% of thetotal water consumption is used to cleanse.

As can be seen above, the first filling is 5 liter water per kilogramgoods. Approximately 2.5 liter water per kilogram goods is sucked up bythe fabric. The second 2.5 liter water per kilogram goods is needed forthe machine because pipes, a pump, and a heat exchanger must be filledto enable a continuous circulation. When thereafter the machine isdischarged, 2.5 liter per kilogram goods leave the machine. Theremaining 2.5 liter per kilogram goods stay in the goods and thereforein the machine. Therefore, in per cent of the goods weight, 250% waterstay in the goods. These 250% are called water retention value, and itis mainly dependent on the fiber type.

As shown above, 70% of the water consumption is used up for rinsing. Ifthe retaining power were reduced by 50%, the water consumption would bereduced by 35%. The reason for this is that rinsing is a dilutionprocess, and when only 50% of the dirty water has to be diluted, thenalso only 50% of the clean water is needed to achieve the same effect.

Because the retaining power is yet determined by the fiber type, areduction of the retaining power is not directly possible. If the waterwere yet efficiently removed, this would equal a reduction of theretaining power because less dirty water must be diluted.

To save chemicals, primarily the bath ratio has to be reduced becausethe chemicals are employed for the most part in process steps, such asbleaching and dyeing. Most chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide andcaustic, are deployed in milliliter or gram for each liter of water sothat the amount of chemicals used can be reduced at lower bath ratios.Based on the above example with a bath ratio of 5 liter water perkilogram goods, the amount of chemicals could be reduced, as an example,by 50% at a bath ratio of 2.5 liter water per kilogram goods.

A very widely spread process is the dyeing of goods made of cellulosematerial, like cotton or viscose, with a reactive dye. In this process,large quantities of salt are used. The salt has the function to increasethe effect of the dye. Not applying the salt, only a small part of thedye would engage in chemical bonding with the fiber. The consumption ofdye would be higher, and the unbound part would demand more water to bewashed out.

In processes with reactive dyes, an amount of salt between 20 and 150gram per liter water is common. At lower bath ratios, the amount of saltper liter water can be reduced. Hence, one has a double effect. If thebath ratio can be cut in half, then the total amount of salt can bereduced to less than the half.

Further, it is widely known that the water consumption in rinsingoperations can be drastically reduced when the goods are drained beforeby centrifugal forces. This process is performed in every household'sconventional laundry machine.

From U.S. Pat. No. 1,195,606 it is already known that textile sheetforms can be successfully treated with centrifugal forces. Though, it isstated that the sheet form must be wound with high tension. Sheet formswhich are tension sensitive, such as knitted textile and longitudinalelastic woven textile, however, should not be wound with high tensionbecause, then, the sheet form degrades in elasticity.

DE 1760778 discloses that it was possible to successfully dye smallamounts (between 2 and 3.5 kg) of woven nylon textile. The describedwoven textile is practically inelastic so that it could be successfullytreated with the described number of revolutions and, therefore, withcentrifugal forces.

For longitudinal elastic, textile sheet forms, such as knitted textile,with or without a spandex component, and woven textile with an elasticwarp, such a procedure is impossible because the centrifugal forcestretches the sheet form longitudinal and imbalances are generated whichcan damage both the textile sheet form and the machine. Also withtextile sheet forms having a voluminous, soft character, imbalances aregenerated so that a treatment as described above is impossible.

Also known are dyeing beam apparatuses that have a lap which is rotated.Yet, that is done with a relatively moderate rotational speed so that,as common for beam dyeing, the treatment fluid is pressed through thelap with pump pressure and not, as described above, by means of thecentrifugal force. Therefore, the interior volume of the dyeing beam iscompletely filled with the treating fluid. Especially for largediameters of a dyeing beam, this increases the amount of the treatingliquor per kilogram goods. The apparatuses described in U.S. Pat. No.1,195,606, U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,500, U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,501, and U.S.Pat. No. 1,266,110 also have this disadvantage because the interiorvolumes of their dyeing beams also must be filled.

A partial improvement with respect to a lower bath ratio is achievedwith displacement bodies located in the interior of the dyeing beam, asdescribed in EP 0230630. Further, it is known that the fluid level inthe container can be lowered for beam dyeing apparatuses that have a lapwhich is rotated so that therewith also a partial improvement isachieved.

It is known from beam dyeing that unstable laps are wound with aninelastic sheet. Therefore, the circumference of the lap is stabilized.That means that the circumference of the lap is no longer able toincrease in length because of the sheet wound around the lap.Experiments have shown that wrapping a preferably inelastic sheet aroundlongitudinal elastic and voluminous sheet forms yields a certainimprovement, but does not suffice to avoid asymmetric displacements inthe lap. Such displacement grows in size the softer the leap and thelarger the layer thickness. Such asymmetric displacements createpressure points on the sheet form as well as forceful imbalances andtherefore vibrations in the whole machine.

Also chain forms, as known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,500, U.S. Pat. No.1,261,501, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,266,110, are not able to avoid suchasymmetric displacement. The circumference of the lap is held fixedthrough this chain form. The chain form yet cannot avoid that the lap,especially if it is soft, is pressed on one side and, therefore, suffersan extension on the other side so that the rounded lap is formed into anasymmetric form. If they are not very fine, such chain forms furtherhave the bad quality that their raisings and lowerings are impressedinto the outer layers of the lap through the pressure created bycentrifugal forces. Consequences of this are irregular treatments and,therefore, color differences.

Large layer thicknesses are yet relevant for economical reasons becausewith small layer thicknesses less sheet forms are treated and,therefore, the apparatus produces less. High revolution speeds areadvantageous because the lap body can be better drained with highrevolutions, and, therefore, as already stated above, rinsing water canbe saved.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the described state of the art, an object of the presentinvention is to treat wound sheet forms, notably also elastic or softsheet forms, which are wound onto a perforated dyeing beam withsolutions by means of centrifugal forces in such a way that a regulartreatment is possible at large layer thicknesses and with the leastconsumption of water, chemicals, and energy.

This object is solved according to the present invention by acentrifugal dyeing apparatus comprising a closable container, a pump tocirculate a treating liquid, a driven dyeing beam, which is rotatablysupported in said container, arranged to hold a lap made of a textilesheet form and comprising a tube with a perforation, wherein supportsustainers are provided, wherein said support sustainers radiallysupport said lap, and wherein said support sustainers are attached tosaid dyeing beam.

In an advantageous way, it is proposed that support sustainers areprovided, that the support sustainers radially support the lap, and thatthe support sustainers are attached to the dyeing beam so as to achievethat the lap cannot radially extend itself during the followingtreatments under the influence of centrifugal forces and the treatingfloat passing through the sheet form during the following treatments.Further, the apparatus should prevent asymmetric displacements in thelap so that imbalances cannot occur. Hereby, the support sustainersradially support the lap during operation.

It is advantageous that the support sustainers are arranged coaxially tothe dyeing beam. Because the support sustainers undergo high forces dueto the centrifugal force, it is advantageous that they are as short aspossible. As a result of the coaxial arrangement, the shortest wayacross the sheet form is achieved.

Further, it is advantageous if the support sustainers are made of closedhollow profiles. Closed hollow profiles have a very good bendingstrength as well as simultaneously a small (low) mass. Furthermore, theprofiles can be closed also at their sides so that a treating floatcannot enter into the profiles, and, hence, they are also easy to clean.

The sheet forms are treated in different lengths on the centrifugaldyeing apparatus. The sheet forms further have different thicknesses.The thicknesses after wrapping are therefore mostly different so that itis advantageous if the support sustainers are movable to enable anadjustment to the thickness of the lap. It is advantageous that thesupport sustainers are arranged alongside the entire width of the lap(goods) because the centrifugal force also acts on the lap over theentire width of the goods. Especially for elastic goods and an onlypartial covering of them, the lap would extend itself at uncoveredsections.

Further, it is advantageous that perforated metal sheets, which serve asperforated support sheets, are mounted on the support sustainer and thatthey lie against the lap. The perforated metal sheets receive thepressure over a large area so that less impressions from the supportsustainers are created on the goods. Further, the perforated metalsheets can overlap each other so that the same metal sheets can be usedfor various lap diameters.

For inelastic goods, it is advantageous that the perforated metal sheetscover at least 10% of the circumference of the lap and the whole widthof the lap. The reason for this is that large parts of the centrifugalforce are carried through the inherent stability of the lap. Because,despite that, imbalances can occur, it is advantageous that the lap issupported along at least 10% of the circumference of the lap over thewhole width of the lap.

It is notably advantageous that the support sustainers and the supportsheets together form a unit. By combining them to a unit, weight can besaved so that less energy is needed to speed up the lap. In addition,the support sustainers must be mounted onto the dyeing beam byoperators. Hence, for this, a low self-weight is also advantageous.

An economically priced solution is that the support sustainers aremounted, favorably on the left and right side of the lap, throughsupport sustainer fixtures at unperforated regions of the tube of thedyeing beam. The reason for this is that, then, the support sustainerscan be formed as short as possible. Then, the support sustainers areonly a little longer than the maximum width of the lap so that they canbe optimally formed with respect to strength.

An advantageous variant for the mounting of the support sustainers onthe dyeing beam is that the support sustainers are mounted atunperforated regions of the tube of the dyeing beam through screws. Themounting with screws enables that the support sustainers are steplesslyadaptable to the layer thickness. Yet the screws have to be locked sothat they cannot release themselves during operation.

It is advantageous that the dyeing beam comprises side plates that areconnected with the tube. Because of the centrifugal force, it must bepossible to transfer substantial forces into the dyeing beam through thesupport sustainers and their support sustainer fixtures. The supportsustainer fixtures transfer the forces on the left and the right of thelap and, therefore, at the sides of the dyeing beam. The side platesoptimally strengthen the tube.

It is advantageous that the support sustainers are mounted to the sideplates of the dyeing beam through the support sustainer fixtures.Therefore, there are no parts which spread out from the dyeing beam sothat the sheet form can be wound without difficulty onto the dyeingbeam.

A solution which is advantageous for the operators is that the supportsustainer fixtures are turnably mounted at the side plates and that thepositions of the support sustainer fixtures can be locked by means ofspring bolts. This solution does not need tools to connect the supportsustainer fixtures with the dyeing beam. The number of parts which theoperator has to mount is thus reduced to that of the support sustainersequipped with the perforated metal sheets so that the operator couldmake fewer mistakes when mounting the means.

Another advantageous variant consists in that the support sustainers aremounted with screws and bolts at the side plates, preferably at two sideplates, of the dyeing beam. This solution, which is based on standardparts, is both economically desired as well as steplessly adaptable tothe thickness of the lap and, through directly connecting with thestable side plates, robust. As already mentioned above, screws and screwnuts must yet be locked against turning to prohibit an unwantedloosening during the treatment.

Especially for broad sheet forms the support sustainers become very longand can elastically deform themselves during the treatment. Therefore,it is advantageous that at least a strap is applied around the supportsustainers and the lap. The strap strengthens the support sustainers andreduces the elastic deformation during the treatment. Further, byapplying there one or more such straps, the bending strength of thesupport sustainer can be reduced, and, therefore, weights and costs ofthe support sustainers can be reduced.

As already mentioned above, the laps have different layer thicknesses,and the support sustainers thus have to be radially adjustable.Therefore, it is advantageous that the at least one strap is adjustablein length because otherwise straps must be provided in most differentlengths.

It is advantageous that the container is provided in the form of apressure vessel. Indeed, it is possible to install the centrifugaldyeing apparatus without a pressure vessel, which is considerablycheaper. Providing the container as a pressure vessel has the advantagethat cellulose and synthetic fiber material sheet forms can both betreated on the same apparatus. Further, the treatment duration can bereduced for a bleaching process for cellulose sheet forms, when thetreatment is performed at temperatures over 100° C. and, therefore,under pressure.

Yet it is possible that the dyeing beam stays in the centrifugal dyeingapparatus during wrapping. This is possible for both centrifugal dyeingapparatuses without pressurized containers and such apparatuses withpressure vessels. Centrifugal dyeing apparatuses with pressure vesselsin which the dyeing beam stays in the apparatus during wrapping areconsiderably more complex to build because, to wrap the dyeing beam, itmust be accessible over the entire width of the goods, and thecylindrical part of the pressure vessel thus must be arranged to belaterally movable. Therefore, it is advantageous that the dyeing beamcan be removed from the container.

It is advantageous that the centrifugal dyeing apparatus comprises aspraying tube that is arranged centrically to the dyeing beam. Forhighly permeable sheet forms or high numbers of revolutions, no liquidlayer builds up inside the dyeing beam. The treatment float must thus beprovided as much as possible regularly along the entire width of the lapbecause otherwise it differently passes the lap along its width. Withouta spraying tube, this would result in an irregular treatment result.

It is advantageous that watery solutions and/or a solvent and/or carbondioxide (CO₂) in a supercritical state is used as a treating float. In alot of textile finishing processes, watery solutions are used. Alsosolvents are used to remove grease and/or oil. Obviously, an apparatusoperating with solvents requires further components according to thestate of the art, such as an exhaust system and devices which clean thesolvent. Yet the washing process is here also a dilution process so thatsimilar savings as with watery solutions are possible. Dependent on theavailability of water, in the near future, it could be interesting toreplace water with supercritical CO₂ so as to transport the dye to thefiber. Hence, preferably, the centrifugal dyeing apparatus and,especially, the closable container and the further components arerespectively adapted in such a way that watery solutions and/or asolvent and/or CO₂ in a supercritical state can be used as a treatingfloat that transports the dye to the fibers of the lap.

With the mentioned apparatuses, therefore, sheet forms being sensitiveto longitudinal tension can be treated which would not be possiblewithout such an apparatus. Furthermore, this has the advantage that lapswith much larger layer thicknesses could be treated so that the capacityof the machine can be increased. Through the radial support, the numberof revolutions of the dyeing beam can be increased so that, ifnecessary, the flow passing through the lap can be increased. Also thenumber of revolutions to centrifuge the lap before rinsing can beincreased so that less waste water remains in the lap, and rinsing watercan thus be saved.

Table 1 below shows the influence of the centrifugal force on the waterremaining in the lap, wherein it has to be considered that, due to thevarious textile sheet forms and their different qualities, also, thewater remaining in the lap considerably varies. The main influence hascertainly the fiber material, which is tabulated in column 1. Yet, evenwith the same fiber material, very large differences are discoverable.So, with polyester, the water remaining in the lap can differ by afactor of 2. This is the case if, for example, a closely woven textilemade of polyester filament and a loosely knitted hosiery made ofpolyester staple fibers are compared with each other. The quality ofbeing closely woven means herein that a certain tightness against waterand air is provided. This is the case, for example, for a not muchpermeable canvas. Hosiery is a knitted textile, wherein due to themeshes a deformation occurs in a longitudinal or transverse directionaccording to respective tensile loads. A woven textile is stifferbecause a relatively tight arrangement of one fiber next to anotherexists due to the weaving. In Table 1, large ranges, here stated inpercent (%), result from these different constructs, which include,besides others, knitted and woven textiles.

It is evident from Table 1 that independent of the type of fiber, thestronger one centrifuges, the less water remains in the sheet form.Therefore, less water is needed for the succeeding rinsing.

TABLE 1 Type of Dripping (1 g) 2-5 g 5-30 g/ 900 g Fiber 1-2 min. 1-2min. 1-2 min. 20 min. Cotton 250-300% 180-240%  80-150% 43-50% Wool230-300% 160-210%  80-120% 38-45% Polyester 120-250%  90-140% 40-80%3-5% Viscose 300-350% 200-250% 120-160% 60-80%

In Table 1, the reference quantity g=9.81 m/s² is chosen for theacceleration through the centrifugal force. In column 1, the differentfiber types are shown. In columns 2 to 4, the different processes andaccording machines and apparatuses are contrasted. For the purpose ofinformation, in column 5, the values which are achieved by centrifugingaccording to ISO 53814 are shown. Thereby, the values shown in column 5advert to the influence of an acceleration of 900 g on the respectivesheet form over a duration of 20 minutes.

For dripping (at 1 g) between 1 and 2 minutes, as shown in column 2, itis noted that, with today's widespread machines, like jet dyeingmachines, beam dyeing machines, or jiggers, the sheet form is onlydrained by dripping so that large quantities of water remain in thesheet form.

For centrifugal dyeing machines without supporters at 2 to 5 g overbetween 1 to 2 minutes, as shown in column 3, it is noted that, fortension stable garments which are wound with large tension, centrifugingthem without supporters is possible. Many sheet forms, such as knittedtextile, are yet longitudinal elastic in such a way that the textile isdamaged or imbalances occur, already, for acceleration values between 1and 2 g. In these cases, the dyeing beam without supporters can only berotated very slowly. In this case, the drainage through the centrifugalforces is only very moderate.

For centrifugal dyeing machines with supporters at 5 to 30 g overbetween 1 to 2 minutes, as shown in column 4, it is noted that theacceleration values of 5 to 30 g can be realized without difficulty withthe centrifugal dyeing beam of the present invention. In principle, alsohigher acceleration values can be reached. But the number and stabilityof the supporters must be adapted therefore.

When constructing the supporters, yet it has to be considered that forhigh acceleration values the mass of the supporter must be included inthe calculation because besides the stability of the supporter, also themass of the supporter is a significant factor. A low mass of thesupporters is thus desired.

With the centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to the presentinvention, a realization of treatments with bath ratios of less than 3liter water per kilogram sheet form for cellulose fiber and less than 2liter water per kilogram sheet form for synthetic fiber is possible.

Below, as an example, a process is shown in which elastic knittedtextile made of cotton is treated on a dyeing apparatus according to thepresent invention. Each of the sheet forms is drained over 2 minutesbefore the rinsing.

-   1.) Filling: 3 liter water per kilogram goods-   2.) Bleaching: (loading chemicals, heating, and cooling again)-   3.) Discharging, centrifuging, and rinsing: 1.5 liter per kilogram    goods-   4.) Discharging, centrifuging, and rinsing: 1.5 liter per kilogram    goods-   5.) Discharging, centrifuging, and filling: 1.5 liter per kilogram    goods-   6.) Dyeing: (adding salt, dye, and chemicals and heating)-   7.) Five times both discharging and rinsing: 7.5 liter per kilogram    goods-   8.) Discharging.

In total, 15 liter water per kilogram goods are consumed in thisexemplary process. Comparing the above mentioned process performed onthe centrifugal dyeing apparatus with the previous, exemplary processperformed on a jet dyeing machine, thus it is shown that 10 liter waterper kilogram goods and, therefore, 40% of the water can be saved.

Comparable savings are achieved for the amounts of chemicals and salt.Also the energy consumption to heat the process water is reduced by 40%.Because the energy consumption for heating up the goods and the machineis still equally high, the total energy savings are yet, with 20 to 30%,smaller than the savings in water, chemicals, and salt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The present invention is described in further detail with reference toembodiments of the invention, which are shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the centrifugal dyeing apparatus,comprising a spraying tube and a rotatable dyeing beam, during arotating operation.

FIG. 2 shows another sectional view of the centrifugal dyeing apparatus,comprising a spraying tube and a rotatable dyeing beam, during arotating operation.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the support sustainer fixture according to analternative embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the support sustainer according to analternative embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the support sustainer fixture according to analternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the centrifugal dyeing beam 100 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the invention in a sectional view after loading thecontainer 1 with the dyeing beam 2. As known from beam dyeing, the sheetform is wound onto the dyeing beam 2 in the region of the perforation 37of the tube 3 and is thus forming a lap 4. Due to the fact that sheetforms are produced in different widths, covering sheets 22 are provided,which block the perforated regions which are located on the sides of thelap and which are not covered by the lap, because otherwise large partsof the treating float would pass not through the lap, but through theuncovered perforation 37 of the dyeing beam 2. These covering sheets 22can be further equipped with radially extending supports 23 so that thelap 4 cannot axially displace itself during treatment. Optimally, thesesupports 23 are adapted to the layer thickness.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the meansto radially support the lap 4 primarily comprises the components whichare hereafter described. Lying onto the lap 4 over the entire width ofthe lap 4, the perforated support sheets 5 are positioned on the lap 4.Each one of the support sheets 5 respectively covers a part of thecircumference of the lap 4. Ideally, all support sheets 5 together coverthe whole circumference of the lap. For the treatment of longitudinalinelastic woven textile, it can yet be sufficient that at least 10% ofthe circumference of the lap 4 is supported. Because the support sheets5 are made of thin metal sheets, they can also overlap each other.

The support sheets 5 are attached to the support sustainers 6 by tubeclips 32. The support sustainers 6 are adjacently attached to the dyeingbeam 2 by the support sustainer fixtures 7 at, preferably, the left andright side of the lap. Various alternative embodiments of thisattachment between the support sheet 5, the support sustainer 6, thesupport sustainer fixture 7, and the dyeing beam 2 are here possible.The adaption to the layer thickness of a lap 4 can be realized betweenall attachments or their combinations. Further, it is possible that asingle part is made out of individual parts of the supporters. So, forinstance, a support sustainer 6 and two support sustainer fixtures 7 canbe constructed as a single part.

Also, it is possible to construct a single part out of the supportsustainer 6 and the support sheet 5.

During operation, the support sustainers 6 support the lap 4 along theentire width of the lap (goods) 4. The support sustainers 6 radiallysupport the lap 4 during operation, wherein the support sustainers 6 areattached to the dyeing beam 2. Hereby, the following features areadvantageous and realized in this embodiment:

-   a) In the reference frame of the dyeing beam 2, which, during    operation, rotates around a rotation axis 40, the support sustainers    6 are arranged stationary to the dyeing beam 2. Particularly, the    support sustainers 6 are here parallel (coaxially) arranged to the    rotation axis 40, as shown especially in FIGS. 1 and 2.-   b) The support sustainers 6 are attached on both sides and at the    left and right side of the lap, respectively. Therewith, even at    high numbers of revolutions, a relatively stiff arrangement of the    support sustainers 6 with respect to the rotation axis 40 is    achieved.-   c) The distance and/or the position of the support sustainers 6 to    the rotation axis 40 is certainly fixed during operation, but    adjustable during a standstill. Therewith, before the dyeing beam    rotates, the support sustainers 6 and, if applicable, thus also the    perforated support sheets 5 can be adjusted down to the diameter of    the lap.

Hence, with the support sustainers 6, which are all positioned with thesame specified and firmly adjusted radial distance to the rotation axis,and the perforated support sheets 5, which are all positioned with thesame specified and firmly adjusted radial distance to the rotation axis40, a symmetric form of the lap, which is mainly invariable duringoperation, can be sustained. This is further supported through the axialsupports 23 because these can be provided so that the lap 4 is notaxially moving during operation.

FIG. 2 exemplarily shows how the support sustainer fixtures 7 areradially adjustably arranged at the side plates 38 of the dyeing beam 2.Because it is advantageous for the wrapping of the sheet form if thetube 3 of the dyeing beam 2 is clear of parts sticking out, in the shownsolution, the support sustainer fixtures 7 are attached turnably aroundthe close-tolerance screw 34 so that the support sustainer fixtures 7can be retracted and arrested in the retracted position with the springbolts 33 for the wrapping or the unwrapping of the sheet form. After thewrapping, the support sustainer fixtures 7 are fixated in the positionadapted to the lap with the same spring bolts 33.

The support sustainers 6 can be connected to the support sheets 5 bymeans of the tube clips 32. The unit, comprising the support sustainer6, tube clip 32, and the support sheet 5, is located at the supportsustainer fixtures 7 with the spring bolts 13.

In a mounted state, the support sheet 5 is thus connected to the supportsustainer 6 through the tube clips 32. The support sustainer 6 isconnected to the support sustainer fixtures 7 through the spring bolts13. The support sustainer fixtures 7 are fixated on the side plates 38of the dyeing beam 2 in the position adapted to the lap 4. Hence, thelap 4 is held between the perforated support sheet 5 and the tube of thedyeing beam 2, which comprises, at least in the region of the lap 3, theperforation 27, and thus can no longer radially disarrange itself.

In the alternative embodiment, which is exemplarily shown is FIG. 5, thefunction of the support sustainer fixtures 7 is provided by a long screw35. The unit, comprising the support sustainer 6, the tube clip 32, andthe support sheet 5, is torn to the lap 4 by means of the screws 35 andthe screw nut 39, which is welded to the side plates 38, and the unit,comprising the support sustainer 6, the tube clip 32, and the supportsheet 5, and the dyeing beam 2 are therewith connected. To avoid thatthe screw 35 loosens itself during operation, the screw 35 is yetsecured by a holding screw 36. This arrangement has the advantages thatthe unit, comprising the support sustainer 6, the tube clip 32, and thesupport sheet 5, can be adjusted to the layer thickness of the lap 4 inan even more accurate way and that, if necessary, a pretension can beprovided by the screws 35.

A further alternative embodiment of the location of the supportsustainer 6 is an arrangement in which the support sustainers 6 arelocated not at the side plates 38 of the dyeing beam 2, as describedabove, but movably on the tube 3 of the dyeing beam 2.

In the alternative embodiment, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, thefunction of the support sustainer fixture 7 is provided by a long screw35. The screw 35 connects the unit, comprising the support sustainer 6,the tube clip 32, and the support sheet 5, with the tube 3 of the dyeingbeam 2. The screw nut 39 is welded to the internal side of the tube 3.The tube 3 comprises a hole in the region of the nut 39 so that thescrew 35 can be inserted through the tube and torn. The screw 35 is thenalso secured with a holding screw 36.

It is also possible that the support sustainers 6 are radially movablyarranged by means of the in most cases supplied supports 23. Similarlyto the solution shown in FIG. 3, the screw nut 39 can be arranged not atthe tube 3, but at the supports 23. Hence, the unit, comprising thesupport sustainer 6, the tube clip 32, and the support sheet 5, isconnected with the tube 3 of the dyeing beam 2 through the screws 35,the screw nuts 39, the supports 23, and the covering sheets 22.

Because a low self-weight in coexistence with a high bending strengthfor each of them is advantageous, the support sustainers 6 arepreferably formed as closed hollow profiles, like, as exemplarily shown,round tubes or, exemplarily, four-edged hollow profiles.

In the alternative embodiment exemplarily shown in FIG. 4, the hollowprofile is formed by the support sustainer 6 and the support sheet 5.This solution can replace the unit that comprises the support sustainer6, the tube clip 32, and the support sheet 5. The support sustainer 6must comprise holes so that the treating solution can radially leave thesupport sustainer 6. Advantageously, both the support sustainer 6 andthe support sheets 5 are made of perforated metal sheets. This solutionhas the advantage that a low self-weight in coexistence with a highbending strength can be provided.

Dependent on the number of revolutions necessary for treating the lap 4as well as the width of the dyeing beam and of the lap, respectively, inaddition to the above mentioned support sheets 5, support sustainers 6,and support sustainer fixtures 7, it can be necessary to apply one ormore straps 24 over the support sustainers 6 and the lap 4. Because thestraps 24 are tightly fitted to the support sustainers 6, theystrengthen also the perforated support sheets 5 so that these do notlift-off from the lap 4 during treatment. The straps 24 have to beadjustable in length so as to lie free from play or with slightpretension on the support sustainers 6 or support sheets 5.

The number of units, comprising the support sustainers 6, the tube clips32, the support sheets 5, and the support sustainer fixtures 7, dependson the diameter of the lap 4. At least three units are necessary tostabilize the lap 4. The larger the circumference of the lap 4, the moresupport sustainers 6 and support sheets 5 are necessary to stabilize thelap 4.

The support sheets 5, support sustainers 6, and support sustainerfixtures 7 are located in the container 1, advantageously, even beforethe dyeing beam 2 being wound is inserted. For centrifugal dyeingapparatuses 100 for which the container 1 is not provided in the form ofa pressure vessel, the dyeing beam 2 can be rotatably mounted in themachine. The sheet form is then directly wound onto the dyeing beam 2which rotates in the container 1. In this case the support sheets 5, thesupport sustainers 6, and the support sustainer fixtures 7 must bemounted through mounting openings provided in the casing of thecontainer 6.

At the time, where the lap 4 is both sideways and radially securedagainst a displacement, the process can be initiated. The dyeing beam 2is brought into rotation through the geared motor 8, two gearwheels 9,10, and the tappet 11. The dyeing beam 2 can be sustained in rotationduring the entire process workflow.

The support sustainers 6 are preferably mounted to the unperforatedregions of the tube 3 of the dyeing beam 2 through support sustainerfixtures 7 on the left and right side of the lap 4 and, respectively, toboth sides of the lap 4. The support sustainer are advantageouslymounted to the side plates 38 of the dyeing beam 2 through the supportsustainer fixtures 7 on the left and right side of the lap 4 and,respectively, to both sides of the lap 4.

As it is common for all discontinuous dyeing machines and apparatuses,the centrifugal dyeing apparatus 100 can be filled with hot or coldwater through valves 26, 27. Further, the required chemicals, dyes, andsalt can be metered out into the water my means of the dyestuffpreparation tank 28, the fetch pump 29, and the valve 30. Thecirculation pump 14 pumps the mixture of water, chemicals, and dyethrough the heat exchanger 31 and the spraying tube 17 in the rotatingdyeing beam 2. The mixture can be heated or cooled with the heatexchanger 31.

The mixture, which is sprayed through the spraying tube 17, is pressedto the inner wall of the dyeing beam 2 by the centrifugal force andforms a float layer 21. For tight sheet forms and low rotational speeds,the height of the float layer 21 is limited by the openings 12 locatedat the side areas of the dyeing beam 2. The float surplus 20 can leavethe dyeing beam 2 through these openings 12. For very penetrable sheetforms and high rotational speeds, it is possible that a float layer 21is not built up. The mixture arrives at the lap 4 through theperforation 27 and passes it. The mixture then leaves the lap 4 over theperforated support sheets 5 and is collected in the container 1. Themixture again reaches the circulation pump 14 through the suction intake18 and the suction channel 19 so that the mixture can be kept incirculation. In an optimal way, the rotational speed is increased duringa drainage of the mixture so as to improve the draining of the lap 4.

The process workflow is in principle not different from that for jetdyeing machines or also beam dyeing machines. The main difference isthat with the described centrifugal dyeing machine 100:

-   1.) An operational treatment with a bath ratio of less than 3 liter    per kilogram sheet form is possible.-   2.) It is possible to centrifuge before the rinsing process step so    that, for example, sheet forms made of cotton comprising 250% water    in relation to the weight of goods contain less than 150% per weight    of goods after the centrifuging.

These two process differences are yet adequate to tremendously reducethe consumption of water, chemicals, salt, and energy so that theadditional effort pays off both economically and ecologically.

1. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus comprising a closable container; apump to circulate a treating fluid; and a driven dyeing beam rotatablysupported in said container and arranged to hold a lap made of a textilesheet form and comprising a tube with a perforation; wherein supportsustainers are provide; wherein said support sustainers radially supportsaid lap; and wherein said support sustainers are attached to saiddyeing beam.
 2. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said support sustainers are arranged to be coaxial to saiddyeing beam.
 3. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said support sustainers are formed as closed hollow profiles. 4.A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidsupport sustainers are adjustable so as to fit to the thickness of saidlap.
 5. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid support sustainers are arranged alongside the entire width of saidlap.
 6. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinperforated support sheets are attached to said support sustainers andwherein said perforated support sheets fit said lap.
 7. A centrifugaldyeing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said perforated supportsheets cover at least 10% of the circumference of said lap and theentire width of said lap.
 8. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein each said support sustainers forms a unit together withsaid perforated support sheets.
 9. A centrifugal dyeing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said support sustainers are attached tosaid dyeing beam at an unperforated region of said tube by supportsustainer fixtures.
 10. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said support sustainers are attached to said dyeingbeam at an unperforated region of said tube by screws.
 11. A centrifugaldyeing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dyeing beamcomprises side plates attached to said tube.
 12. A centrifugal dyeingapparatus according to claim 11, wherein said support sustainers areattached to said side plates of said dyeing beam by support sustainerfixtures that are attached turnably around close-tolerance screws tosaid side plates, and the position of said support sustainer fixturescan be locked by spring bolts, or wherein said support sustainers areattached to said side plates of said dyeing beam by screws and screwnuts.
 13. A centrifugal dyeing apparatus according to wherein at leastone strap is applied around said support sustainer and said lap andwherein said at least one strap is adjustable in its length.
 14. Acentrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidcontainer is constructed as a pressure vessel and wherein said dyeingbeam is removable from said container and wherein a spraying tubearranged concentrically to the dyeing beam is provided.
 15. Acentrifugal dyeing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein waterysolutions including at least one of a solvent and CO₂ in a supercriticalstate is used as said treating fluid.